#62 – Col. William R. Montgomery

29102008

Report of Col. William R. Montgomery, First New Jersey Infantry

O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME 2 [S# 2] — CHAPTER IX, pp. 437-438

NEAR FORT ALBANY, VA., July 23, 1861

SIR: I have the honor to report that, by instructions of Brigadier-General Runyon, commanding Fourth Division, Northeastern Virginia, with fifteen companies, seven of the First (my own), and eight of the Second (McLean’s) New Jersey Volunteers, I left Vienna and marched to join you at Centreville. On the march we encountered your retreating forces, which, by personal authority, exertions of officers, men, and the bayonet, we endeavored, though ineffectually, to rally and turn back. We took position in rear of your camps and immediately in front of the enemy, then proceeded in person to your headquarters, and received your instructions to assume command of my own and McLean’s regiments, and hold our position. On sending for the latter regiment it was ascertained it had retired and was on the retreat, and continued to do so, for reasons doubtless its colonel will duly explain.

About 2 o’clock in the morning, having ascertained that the forces had retreated, and my command left entirely unsupported, I deemed it proper to retire, leaving your hospitals in charge of Surgeon Taylor, of my regiment, who nobly volunteered for that purpose with my sanction, to the mercy of the enemy.

I kept on and covered the rear of our retreating forces till we reached Fairfax Court-House, when, finding a regiment encamped but preparing to take up its march, I notified its commander he would be in rear, and the probability of the enemy’s Black Cavalry annoying him. We continued our march in rear of other forces, finally joined and escorted Hunt’s battery to this point, where, during the storm of yesterday, I disposed of my regiment as I best could. When we marched from Vienna four companies, two of each regiment, were on detached duty, and one other was left to hold the place till the former companies should return, then the whole to proceed to join us. They marched accordingly, but were met on the way and turned back, and those of the Second joined us here. To-day we are employed in getting in our camp equipage from Camp Trenton.

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LOOKING FOR MY GRANDFATHER WILLIAM RUFUS MONTGOMERY BORN IN N.C. ABOUT 1861 DREW A CIVIL WAR PENSION SIGNED UP IN 1900 IN FL. i WANT TO KNOW ABOUT HIS FATHER..MY GRANDFATHER WENT BY W.R.,WILL,WILLIE RUFUS, HE DIED IN JACKSONVILLE FL IN 1943. BURIED IN COOK CO. GA.

we are wrong ..wrong info..he did die in jacksonville ,fl 1943..interned in cook,co. ga. brushy creek cemetary….he said he was born in n.c….date on toomb 1862…we found a william rufus montgomery in fl.that signed up for civil war pension….in 1900….we have found anoth in jacksonville that died 1942…..

Dulce bellum inexpertis

“I am sending you these little incidents as I hear them well authenticated. They form, to the friends of the parties, part of the history of the glorious 21st. More anon.”

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Hello! I’m Harry Smeltzer and welcome to Bull Runnings, where you'll find my digital history project on the First Battle of Bull Run which is organized under the Bull Run Resources section. I'll also post my thoughts on the processes behind the project and commentary on the campaign, but pretty much all things Civil War are fair game. You'll only find musings on my “real job” or my personal life when they relate to this project. My mother always told me "never discuss politics or religion in mixed company”, and that's sound advice where current events are concerned.

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